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Case Reports
. 2022 Dec;37(12):5472-5474.
doi: 10.1111/jocs.16912. Epub 2022 Sep 23.

Aortic arch replacement and autologous pericardial tracheal patch for an aorto-tracheal fistula

Kelsey A Musgrove  1 , Daniel McCarthy  1 , Andreas R de Biasi  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Aortic arch replacement and autologous pericardial tracheal patch for an aorto-tracheal fistula

Kelsey A Musgrove et al. J Card Surg. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Aorto-tracheal fistulas are rare and highly lethal, with few reports of successful surgical intervention. We present a 48-year-old man with an aorto-tracheal fistula induced by radiation therapy for tracheal squamous cell carcinoma. He presented with hemoptysis and chest pain and workup revealed the aorta-tracheal fistula between the posterior aortic arch and anterior distal trachea. He was emergently taken to surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an aorto-tracheal fistula successfully treated with a transverse aortic arch replacement and complex tracheal repair using autologous pericardium with an omental buttress.

Keywords: aorta and great vessels.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preoperative CT scan showing the aorto‐tracheal fistula between the posterior aortic arch (zone 1) and the anterior surface of the distal trachea. CT, computerized tomography
Figure 2
Figure 2
Autologous pericardial patch being parachuted onto the tracheal defect with vessel loop around the innominate vein and drop sucker in the open aortic arch. Ao, aorta, IA, innominate artery, IV, innominate vein
Figure 3
Figure 3
Zone 1 aortic arch replacement. IAA, innominate artery anastomosis, IV, innominate vein
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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